Marina Expansion still fraught with differences of opinion

The May 27 meeting held at the Cople District Fire House in Kinsale was an effort by District One Board of Supervisor Daryl Fisher to gauge the thoughts and feelings of Kinsale residents regarding a proposal by Kinsale Marina owner Steve Ryan to construct what has been described as a tourist hotel, motel, or apartment building.

The precise definition of the facility has yet to be pinned down, and Ryan did little to clarify the purpose of the proposed facility which caused Kinsale residents discomfort and at times, to be argumentative and accusatory, and Ryan to be occasionally defensive.

The meeting began with Fisher explaining that Ryan has what is known as “by right” options to build a facility to house a maximum of 24 residents without permission from authorities, a fact not in play when the Planning Commission turned down Ryan’s request to build six units.

The Planning Commission made a unanimous recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to disallow Ryan to move forward with his plans for six units on the property that lays adjacent to his marina.

When the by right option was revealed, Ryan swiftly took advantage of his opportunity by initiating a revised proposal for one building designed by civil engineer and land surveyor Jeff Howeth of Montross, as four units that can house the maximum 24.

Kinsale residents seemed appalled with their newly discovered inability to halt Ryan’s by right provision, so the purpose of Fisher’s meeting was to find a medium ground that may assuage the concerns of Kinsale residents and accommodate Ryan’s plans.

The meeting that was attended by roughly 60 people was informal with no gavel, no time limit for speaking and no one had to identify themselves prior to speaking.